Albanian MOUNTAIN FOOD in Krujë Castle!! BAZAAR Shopping for Qeleshe | Krujë, Albania

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My third day in Albania continued in the mountain village of Krujë in north central Albania. Come along with me as I try some amazing Albanian mountain food in Krujë Castle and shop for a traditional qeleshe hat in the local bazaar in Krujë, Albania!

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Krujë is located just 35 minutes north of Tirana. It’s absolutely gorgeous and is home to lots of ruins, restaurants, and more! My friend and guide Ani from Balkan Pearls Tour Operator and I started at Restorant Bardhi, which opened in 1994. In the kitchen, I watched them make some yufka with chicken, a kebab, a rack of lamb, salads, cheeses, a unique-looking lamb byrek, and more!

Then, I went upstairs with the owner, Bardhi, to try some rakija made of a mix of cabernet franc, merlot, and syrah grapes. It was strong and has so much flavor!

At our table, I started with a potato-and-lamb fritter, which was so moist and contained onion. Next was the blueberry cheese, which was like manchego but had hints of blueberry flavor. The pepper cheese was like a spicy manchego. Then, I jumped on the squash pie, which had a flaky phyllo dough crust. It was the best pie I tried in Albania!

I also loved the lamb byrek with onion, the little samosa-like lamb pies, the goat cheese pies, the tzatziki-like yogurt, and mozzarella-like goat cheese. The juicy, fatty baked lamb leg was unreal, and the lamb ribs were super tender!

Dessert was a traditional Albanian dish called kabuni, which is made from rice, lamb neck, cinnamon, and raisins! It like an exotic, meaty, and sweet rice pudding.

Next, we headed to Skenderbeg Museum, where you can learn about the national hero, Skenderbeg, and the history of medieval Albania. You can see a map of the settlements in medieval Albania, paintings, and his helmet. Atop the museum, you get gorgeous views of Krujë, the river, the surrounding mountains, and more!

Then, we followed the main road leading from the castle, toward the bazaar. Along it are bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops.

The Bazaar of Krujë is so beautiful and authentic! The paths are set with stones and have such an authentic feel. It was like stepping back in time! There, I met a shop owner named Ndricim, who invited me inside to show me how to make a qeleshe, which is a traditional Albanian hat!

He showed me how to make the qeleshe hat in his factory, where he also had dozens of wool hats in different shapes, as well as wool shoes. I learned that each qeleshe shape represents a different county in Albania.

I bought the hat for 1,2oo lekës. I bought some slippers for my daughters and then visited another souvenir shop. There are about 60 of them! This one sold tea sets, shirts, coffee sets, mugs, scarves, antiques, and more! There’s a 120-year-old tool that threads wool that only costs 30,000 lekës, or about $30 USD.

Next was a shop that focuses on clothing with the flag of Albania. I bought an Albanian flag sweater for 25,000 lekës (about $25 USD). Then, I visited a shop where they made Albanian carpets. Everything is handmade by the woman who works there! It took her 7 days to make one of the carpets! I was loving this amazing medieval town! Everyone was so friendly and the town was so unique!

Where have you been?

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About Me:

My name is David Hoffmann. For the last 12 years, I have been traveling around the world in search of unique culture, food, and history! Since starting David’s Been Here in 2008, I have traveled to over 1,100 destinations in 77 countries, which I welcome you to check out on my YouTube channel, travel blog, and social media sites.

I focus a great deal on food and historical sites, as you probably have seen! I love to experience the different flavors that each destination has to offer, from casual street food to gourmet restaurant dining. I’m also passionate about learning about the local history and culture.

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